• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Who makes the most accurate hi-quality A-2 budget Repro ?

herk115

Active Member
Howdy All-I'm a newbie looking for the best quality & most accurate budget repro A-2 I can find.A responsive tailor/company re fit,color,etc is a big plus.I've read abt Platon,FiveStar,Headwind,etc-so any opinions welcome.
PS-I notice most of the manufacturers don't have an extra 'Made by...' tag hidden in the jacket (ie: Made by 5*/Made by Platon,etc). If I'm on Ebay/Etsy & all the repro has is the US military replica labels-how do i know which modern craftsman manufactured the jacket ? Brand new to the field,thanks very much for your patience.

Hi, folks. Long-time member here but I rarely post. If I can take a moment to address the original poster's original question...

Just my two cents worth. Nothing against what the other folks have said in this thread. All of them know far more about the A-2 than I. That said, if you're looking for the "perfect" A-2, good luck. You won't find it, no matter who made it. The reason is this (I think): after a while you get bored or otherwise used to the jacket you've bought and suddenly a jacket seen in a photo catches your eye, and becomes your new "must-have." Then, like with drugs and alcohol, addiction grows on itself and soon you're buying a bigger house for all your jackets. And after a while, just like an addict, you need more, more more...both in quantity and level of detail.

Which budget repro is the best is entirely up to you. If you like the jacket, then you've achieved success. I know the lower end jackets like Five Star, Gibson & Barnes, US Authentic, et al, don't measure up to the standards held by most of the members of this group, and that's entirely their prerogative...I am not being judgemental here. However, I have found some beautiful A-2s made by these folks that hit the spot perfectly...for me. Sure, there may be some small flaws, but what of it? I'd rather have a 95% accurate A-2 for 1/4 the price of the very high end repros. The wait time is shorter and I can have more jackets if I buy cheaper. This is not to denigrate JC (Goodwear) and the other high-end manufacturers; it probably just means I'm easier to please.

One other factor I have to consider when jacket shopping is turnaround time. I'm 65 years old. A one- or two-year wait time with no jacket is a big chunk out of however many years I have left, and given how our sizes change at this age, a perfectly made and fitted repro may not fit well at all after, say an eighteen month turnaround. So, consider that in your planning.

Again, all of the above is not intended to denigrate anybody on this list. Just my own feelings.

Anyway, welcome to the hobby and enjoy your addiction. Trust me, it'll come.

"My name is Larry, and I'm an A-2 addict..."
 

Greg Gale

Well-Known Member
The reason is this (I think): after a while you get bored or otherwise used to the jacket you've bought and suddenly a jacket seen in a photo catches your eye, and becomes your new "must-have." Then, like with drugs and alcohol, addiction grows on itself and soon you're buying a bigger house for all your jackets. And after a while, just like an addict, you need more, more more...both in quantity and level of detail.

That's got to be the most accurate description of our behavior I've ever read. Spot on.
 
Top